Section C. Income Development

Overview
In This Section
/ This section contains the following topics:
Topic / Topic Name
1 / Developing for Recurring Income
2 / Developing for Severance or Accumulated Leave Pay
3 / Developing for Child Hardship Exclusion
4 / Developing for Interest Income From Net Worth
1. Developing for Recurring Income
Introduction
/ This topic contains information on developing for recurring monthly income, including
  • general information on developing for recurring monthly income, and
  • procedures on developing for information about
Railroad Retirement benefits
income tax returns
Social Security (SS) benefits
retirement or annuity income
severance pay, accrued wages or vacation pay
farm income, and
business or rental income.
Change Date
/ June 11, 2015
a. General Information on Developing for Recurring Income
/ When information about recurring income is needed, the following information is usually requested:
  • the gross amount of the recurring income
  • the date the first check was received
  • the date and amount of any retroactive payment received, and
  • the dates of any changes in the monthly rate of income.
Note: Modern Awards Processing-Development (MAP-D) should be used for development whenever possible.
Reference: For information on development procedures in MAP-D, see the MAP-D User’s Guide.
b. Railroad Retirement Benefits
/ If it is necessary to request information about a claimant’s Railroad Retirement income, see M21-1, Part III, Subpart iii, 4.7.
c. Information From Income Tax Returns
/ For information on developing for information from income tax returns, see M21-1, Part III, Subpart iii, 4.11.
d. Social Security Benefits
/ If information about Social Security (SS) benefits is needed, it may be obtained directly from the SSA by using the Share application.
If information is not available in Share, ask the claimant to furnish a copy of his/her latest SS award or disallowance letter or a statement from the Social Security Administration (SSA), if an award or disallowance letter is not available.
Note: SS income for pension and Parents’ Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) beneficiaries is verified via the annual computer match with the SSA, once either type of benefit has been awarded.
References: For more information on
  • the computer match with the SSA, see M21-1, Part X, 2, and
  • Share, see the Share User’sGuide.

e. Retirement or Annuity Income
/ If information about retirement or annuity income is needed, ask the claimant to furnish a copy of his/her latest retirement or annuity award letter.
If an award letter is not available, ask the claimant to have the source of the retirement or annuity income send a statement showing the benefit rate and effective date.
f. Severance Pay, Accrued Wages, or Vacation Pay
/ Send VA Form 21-4192, Request for Employment Information in Connection with Claim for Disability Benefit, to a Veteran’s former employer to request information as to the amount and date of any payment of
  • severance pay
  • accrued wages, or
  • vacation pay.
Reference: For more information on developing for severance or accumulated leave pay, see M21-1, Part V, Subpart i, 3.C.2.
g. Farm Income
/ For information on developing for information on farm income, see M21-1, Part V, Subpart i, 3.B.3.
h. Business or Rental Income
/ For information on developing for information on business or rental income, see M21-1, Part V, Subpart i, 3.B.3.
2. Developing for Severance or Accumulated Leave Pay
Introduction
/ This topic contains information on developing for severance or accumulated leave pay, including
  • when to develop for severance or accumulated leave pay, and
  • using VA Form 21-4192 to obtain information.

Change Date
/ December 13, 2005
a. When to Develop for Severance or Accumulated Leave Pay
/ Develop for severance or accumulated leave pay when
  • a Veterans Pension claim is filed within 90 days of the date a Veteran’s employment terminated, and
  • evidence of record indicates that the Veteran may have been entitled to severance pay or accumulated leave pay.

b. Using VA Form 21-4192 to Obtain Information
/ Send VA Form 21-4192 to a Veteran’s former employer to request information as to the amount and date of any payment of severance or accumulated leave pay the Veteran received. The request should include the Veteran’s name and Social Security number (SSN) to assist the former employer in identifying the Veteran.
If the former employer does not respond
  • send VA Form 21-4192 to the Veteran, and
  • ask that the Veteran have the employer complete the form.

3. Developing for Child Hardship Exclusion
Introduction
/ This topic contains information on developing for a child hardship exclusion, including
  • the definition of hardship
  • the applicability of the child hardship exclusion, and
  • developing for the child hardship exclusion.

Change Date
/ June 11, 2015

a. Definition: Hardship

/ Per 38 CFR 3.23(d)(6), hardship exists when expenses necessary for reasonable family maintenance exceed the sum of countable annual income plus VA pension entitlement.

b. Applicability of the Child Hardship Exclusion

/ Per 38 CFR3.272(m), the child hardship exclusion applies only in pension cases in which a Veteran or surviving spouse has a dependent child with countable income that is available to the Veteran or surviving spouse.
If the authorization activity determines that counting the child’s income would cause hardship, it is possible to exclude some or all of the child’s income.
Note: This exclusion does not apply if the child is the beneficiary.
Reference: For more information on the child hardship exclusion, see 38 CFR3.23(d)(6).

c. Developing for the Child Hardship Exclusion

/ If a Veteran or surviving spouse requests an exclusion of a child’s income, provide VA Form 21-0571, Application for Exclusion of Children’s Income.
Do not develop for hardship if the child’s income is
  • not available to the Veteran or surviving spouse, or
  • otherwise excludable under 38 CFR 3.272(j).
Note: VA Form 21-0571 can be used to develop for both availability of child income and the hardship exclusion.
4. Developing for Interest Income From Net Worth

Change Date

/ November 20, 2015

a. Developing for Interest Income From Net Worth

/ Initiate development for interest income from net worth if a claimant reports or Federal Tax Information (FTI) match information shows
  • assets which may be earning interest, but it is not clear whether or not they are,
  • when FTI is not available and interest bearing net worth is $5,000 or more with no interest income reported
  • interest or dividend income of over $20, but does not report the source of the dividends or interest as net worth, or
  • the same amount of interest and net worth, as the claimant most likely confused the two fields.
Important: Advise the claimant that failure to respond to the request for information will result in a denial of benefits.
Reference: For more information onwhen interest income development is required in connection with upfront verification using FTI, see M21-1, Part V, Subpart iii, 1.A.2.f.